Strange Sweats Out Lead And Flight Plans

June 22, 1987|By Ivan Maisel of The Sentinel Staff

SAN FRANCISCO — Curtis Strange made reservations for a 5:30 p.m. flight to London, en route to the Monte Carlo Open, figuring he would have completed the U.S. Open well before that. But he began to play well, and suddenly he was one of the last players to tee off, at 12:15 p.m. ''Boy, if I'm the leader in the clubhouse, it's really going to tee me off,'' Strange said, jokingly. When he birdied the 18th to finish with a 71-283, he was the leader in the clubhouse with Bobby Wadkins. He finished tied for fourth.

Dale Douglass scored points for the Senior Tour this week by remaining on the fringes of contention all week before finishing back in the pack at 8-over 288. And he played under duress: The airline he flew to San Francisco never delivered his clothing. Douglass played the entire tournament wearing the same aqua sweater and alternating two pairs of slacks.

Scott Hoch shot par 70 to finish at 289. ''I played three good rounds out of four, but that's why they play four rounds,'' said Hoch, whose 77 on Saturday took care of his chances.

Donnie Hammond, who struggled in with a 74-296, called the pin placements on the 17th and 18th holes ''comical.'' Only Roger Maltbie laughed. Maltbie hit a 3-iron 4 feet from the pin at the 17th and made the putt, then hit his approach at the final hole 2 feet away for a birdie-birdie finish for a 70-291.

Jodie Mudd, who nearly stole the Masters with a Sunday charge, got off to a fast start again Sunday and shot 68 for 286. Greg Norman started the day with a bogey and finished with a triple bogey-double bogey-birdie for 77-292.

Next year's Open is at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., outside of Boston. It will be the 75th anniversary of the 1913 Open victory there by young amateur Francis Ouimet over British pros Ted Ray and Harry Vardon, and the silver anniversary of Julius Boros' victory in a playoff over Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit.